Kids' mountain biking day is Saturday

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Midland may be mountain-challenged, but that won't stop a new crop of youngsters from learning the sport of mountain biking on Saturday.

Oct. 3 is Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, an international day of celebrating mountain biking by introducing it to young riders. The Michigan Mountain Bicycling Association (MMBA) Northeast Chapter, part of the International Mountain Bicycling Association, hosts the free event locally, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Midland City Forest.

"It's a great way to get kids interested," said Thad Hallberg, MMBA Northeast Chapter secretary. "Riders who understand the technique will show them how to have fun on the trails in a safe way."

A starter course has been mapped out for cyclists, with the ride expected to last about an hour. Prior to that comes a mandatory safety check.

A standard mountain bike is not necessary, but the bike must have sufficiently fat tires and be appropriate for the terrain, Hallberg noted.

Riders aged six to 16 are encouraged to sign up along with experienced riders. For more information, contact Thad Hallberg at (989) 430-6265 or thadhallberg@gmail.com. For more information on mountain biking, visiting the website http://mmbane.wordpress.com/special-events/